The BJP on Monday demanded an NIA probe into the events leading to the escalation of violence on the campus of Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara.Former Punjab BJP president Jattvibeil Jakhar led the demand for an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to identify those behind the incidents at LPU.“It is a matter for investigation how a peaceful student protest suddenly escalated after armed outsiders allegedly joined it,” Jakhar said.He questioned whether anyone had tried to exploit the students’ emotions to stir unrest in Punjab, either because of a political rivalry or at the behest of separatists based in a neighbouring country or the United States.“The matter is very serious. We demand an NIA investigation into the incident and any related earlier events to identify any external or internal forces involved. We respect the students’ feelings and want their interests protected,” Jakhar said.He alleged that when someone leaves the Aam Aadmi Party because of its policies, the party expresses its political frustration through vindictive actions.Jakhar said that, with elections approaching in Punjab, the incident in the border state should be investigated to determine whether external forces, including the ISI and separatists based in the United States, were involved, or whether a group within Punjab acted for its own political interests.He also claimed that AAP leaders had declared “saam, daam, dand, bhed” — persuasion, inducement, punishment and division — as their policy for winning elections.“An investigation should expose any such forces while protecting the students’ interests,” said the former state BJP chief.He also questioned whether people who felt politically threatened ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Jalandhar had tried to disrupt the atmosphere at the expense of the students’ futures.“An investigation is necessary to find out who wants to use our children like gunpowder to create unrest,” he said.